Carriers can better serve insureds in a timely fashion following future events, and anticipate potentially negative publicity from news organizations covering these weather events, by staffing claims departments at levels capable of responding to the large number of claims sure to follow. Even if it is not economically viable for this level of staffing to be permanent, plans should be in place prior to the event to deal with spikes in claims activity. Of course, technological solutions such as online client portals can also help to process claims quickly when the claims system is under stress.

Insureds contacting claims personnel following significant weather catastrophes are unlike calls following everyday spills, breaks and losses. Insureds making these calls have been rocked to the very foundation of their lives. They may have seen all they worked for and much of what they cared about washed or blown away.

Claims personnel should be trained to recognize the difference, and to employ language and an empathic mindfulness appropriate to the situation. If the past is a prelude to oversized weather events, claims advocates will increasingly need to acquire the skillset typically associated with grief counselors.

Claims following major weather events can potentially affect carriers' financials. If hurricanes like Harvey and Irma become commonplace rather than once-in-a-century events, this recognition is vital to financial projections and meetings with analysts.

Reserves held against claims must be similarly adjusted if weather-related catastrophes become uneventful.

Significant weather events present an important opportunity for independent agents and brokers to demonstrate their value to insureds and it should not be wasted. Standard, cookie-cutter insurance policies simply will not suffice in a world where oversized weather events become frequent occurrences. These incidents call for carefully crafted, custom designed policies. Because skilled, experienced independent agents and brokers can better anticipate the consequences following severe weather catastrophes, they can be depended upon to add coverages to keep home and business owners whole following an insurable oversized weather event.

Carriers, as well as brokers and agents, can begin to help insureds transfer the risks of catastrophic weather events to insurance products through communications outreach. Social media, newsletters, e-blasts, blogs, advertising, direct mail, websites and personal contact are only a few of the tools available to accomplish this task.

We spend all of our professional lives considering the consequences and mitigation of risk, while insureds are busy with their own personal and professional preoccupations. It is our duty as professionals to help insureds prepare for future storms.

Special Reports /

What we've learned from Hurricanes Harvey, Maria and Irma

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